Method and system for fabricating cross-layer pattern

Abstract

A method of fabricating a cross-layer pattern in a layered object is disclosed. The method is executed by an additive manufacturing system and comprises: dispensing a patterning material onto a receiving medium to form a first pattern element; dispensing a first layer of modeling material onto the first pattern element while forming a first open cavity exposing at least a portion of the first pattern element beneath the first layer; and dispensing patterning material onto the exposed portion of the first pattern element and the first layer to form a second pattern element contacting the first pattern element.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A method of fabricating a cross-layer pattern in a layered object, the method being executed by an additive manufacturing (AM) system and comprising:
 dispensing by said AM system a patterning material onto a receiving medium to form a first pattern element; 
 by said AM system, dispensing onto said first pattern element layers of modeling material that are laterally offset with respect to each other to form in said layers of said modeling material a first open cavity exposing at least a portion of said first pattern element beneath said layers, said first open cavity being a stepped cavity defined by said offset and having a non-vertical wall made of said modeling material; and 
 dispensing by said AM system a patterning material onto said exposed portion of said first pattern element and said non-vertical wall of said stepped cavity leaving other parts of said stepped cavity empty to form a second pattern element contacting said first pattern element, thereby forming a cross-layer pattern of said patterning material. 
 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1 , wherein said non vertical wall is planar. 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 1 , wherein said non vertical wall is curved. 
     
     
       4. The method according to  claim 1 , further comprising dispensing additional layers of modeling material onto a topmost layer of said first cavity and also into said first cavity. 
     
     
       5. The method according to  claim 4 , wherein said dispensing said modeling material into said first cavity comprises leaving at least a portion of said second pattern element exposed beneath said dispensed modeling material. 
     
     
       6. The method according to  claim 5 , wherein said dispensing said modeling material onto said topmost layer of said first cavity comprises forming a second open cavity exposing said portion of said second pattern element beneath said dispensed modeling material. 
     
     
       7. The method according to  claim 6 , wherein said dispensing said additional layers comprises filling said first cavity by modeling material. 
     
     
       8. The method according to  claim 6 , wherein said second cavity is laterally displaced relative to said first cavity. 
     
     
       9. The method according to  claim 4 , wherein said dispensing said modeling material onto said first pattern element and said dispensing said modeling material onto said topmost layer of said first cavity are by different dispensing heads of said AM system, each head dispensing a different modeling material. 
     
     
       10. The method according to  claim 1 , further comprising alternately repeating said dispensing of said patterning material and said modeling material a plurality of times, to form a plurality of layers of modeling material, and a plurality of pattern elements interconnected to form a continuous pattern crossing said plurality of layers. 
     
     
       11. The method according to  claim 1 , wherein said patterning material is conductive. 
     
     
       12. The method according to  claim 1 , wherein a thickness of each of said pattern element is at least two times less than a thickness of each of said layers of modeling material. 
     
     
       13. The method according to  claim 1 , further comprising placing an electronic or electric device in said cavity, wherein said pattern element is conductive and wherein said pattern element contacts an electric terminal of said device. 
     
     
       14. The method according to  claim 1 , further comprising sintering said pattern element. 
     
     
       15. The method according to  claim 1 , wherein said modeling material comprises a sintering inducing agent, and wherein said dispensing of said modeling material and/or said patterning material is executed such that said sintering inducing agent reacts with said patterning material to sinter said patterning element. 
     
     
       16. The method according to  claim 15 , wherein said sintering inducing agent comprises a compound selected from the group consisting of free radical polymerizable compound, cationic polymerizable compound and anionic polymerizable compound. 
     
     
       17. The method according to  claim 15 , wherein said sintering inducing agent comprises an ionic group and a counter ion, said ionic group being an acrylic monomer or derivative. 
     
     
       18. The method according to  claim 16 , wherein said sintering inducing agent comprises an ionic group and a counter ion, said ionic group being an acrylic monomer or derivative. 
     
     
       19. The method according to  claim 18 , wherein said sintering inducing agent is a salt. 
     
     
       20. The method according to  claim 18 , wherein said counter ion is anionic and the ion group is cationic. 
     
     
       21. The method according to  claim 18 , wherein said ionic group selected from the group consisting of an acrylate, a methacrylate, an acrylamide, a methacrylamide, an oligomer and a polymer. 
     
     
       22. The method according to  claim 19 , wherein said sintering inducing agent is a (meth)acrylate derivative having the general formula: 
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
         wherein: 
         X is O or NH; 
         Y is a substituted or unsubstituted hydrocarbon chain from 1 to 20 carbon atoms in length; 
         R 1  is H or CH 3 ; 
         R 2 -R 4  are each independently an alkyl; and 
         Z is an anion. 
       
     
     
       23. The method according to  claim 15 , wherein said sintering inducing agent is selected from the group consisting of acrylate, trimethyl ammonium methyl methacrylate chloride, 3-trimethyl ammonium propyl methacrylamide chloride, acrylamide. 
     
     
       24. The method according to  claim 1 , wherein said first pattern element and said second pattern element are made of the same material.